dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
uniqs
30

Blackbird
Built for Speed
Premium Member
join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN

Blackbird to GuruGuy

Premium Member

to GuruGuy

Re: Adam Lanzas hard drive

There's also this information... Reports: Lanza smashed computer hard drive
quote:
...Two sources told The Hartford Courant the hard drive was broken in pieces, while ABC News reports the drive "appeared to have been badly damaged with a hammer or screwdriver."

Lanza may have also overwritten the drive, wiping out the data, tech experts said. ...
With comparison to the Shuttle, the questions are whether the platter materials (both base and coating) are the same for the different drives, and whether the forensic recovery would be equally difficult or even possible if the damage was different in quality (impact/heat versus being cut/torn into pieces).

rcdailey
Dragoonfly
Premium Member
join:2005-03-29
Rialto, CA

1 recommendation

rcdailey

Premium Member

I'm sure someone will want to know the Lanza method of data destruction if it really does prevent forensic recovery.

StuartMW
Premium Member
join:2000-08-06

1 edit

1 recommendation

StuartMW

Premium Member

Of course.

Let's say the HD was damaged but not destroyed (e.g. the HD was hit by a hammer but the HD platters are ok). Does that mean that he was a) incompetent in his attempts. b) attempting to leave a message while making it appear as though not (for some crazy reason)?

On the other hand if the HD was effectively destroyed does that mean there was something worthwhile on it?

We can never be 100% sure in either case. His brains (deliberately) were splattered on a classroom floor and his mothers' were also blown out. In short the two people that probably knew are gone.

IMO all the opinions on TV may be great for ratings etc but I doubt we'll ever know the full story even if there is one.
itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Carlisle, PA

itguy05 to rcdailey

Member

to rcdailey
said by rcdailey:

I'm sure someone will want to know the Lanza method of data destruction if it really does prevent forensic recovery.

With today's data density physical destruction of the platters will ensure data recovery is hard or impossible. In a HD like the Challenger's (400MB) you have 400MB of data spread across 2 platters. Think if it like grains of sand. Now in a modern 2TB drive, you have, what 5200x more data in the same area. So those grains of sand now become 5200x smaller. So if you take out, say a 1/16th of an inch, in a 400MB drive you may have wiped out a few MB of data. On a 2TB drive, you could have wiped out a couple GB.